CannabisClergy.com

    Workers at medical marijuana and medical cannabis collectives, dispensaries, and cooperatives may protect themselves from imprisonment by the U.S. government by being medical cannabis ministers (or medical marijuana ministers). See worker summary and owner summary.

    This legal protection from inprisonment is easiest applied to the DEA and other federal agencies because of explicit Congressional law (RFRA) and related Supreme Court ayahuasca decision. A skilled lawyer should also be able to mount a religious defense in California state courts using the 1964 and 1965 peyote cases. The federal government recently used the federal Religious Land Use and Institutalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) to block the use of local zoning laws that interferred with religious beliefs.

    Los Angeles, California, is currently sending out eight man teams of undercover narcotics agents, backed by SWAT and other police officers, to arrest owners and workers at medical marijuana collectives, dispensaries, and cooperatives.

worker summary owner summary lawyer summary
today’s topic
Guide for medical marijuana ministers

    This blog-like web page discusses the religious aspects of being a medical cannabis minister (medical marijuana minister). This is not legal advice. This is religious advice.

    I attempt to make the information as useful to as many different religions as possible.

archive of previous daily postings:
(July 2010)

special topic: Ministering to those of multiple religions

    As a medical cannabis minister or medical marijuana minister, you will be ministering to many who do not belong to your religion.

    Limiting your ministry to only those of your own religion is a legitimate religious belief, but may limit your usefulness in most medical marijuana collectives, cooperatives, or dispensaries.

    You should be willing to minister to those of any religion, much like a hospital chaplain.

    There may be rites or rituals that you can only perform for those who are members of your own religion. Be clear about the limits of your religious beliefs and practices.

    You should make referrals to clergy of other religion when needed for specific rites or rituals or for answers to religious questions. Keep a list of contacts of medical marijuana ministers or medical cannabis ministers of other religions in your area.

    It is rude to attempt to force your religion or beliefs on anyone. Attempting to force your religion on others will greatly limit your usefulness in most medical marijuana collectives, cooperatives, or dispensaries.

    Some religions expect their ministers to evangelize as the price or cost of providing essential life services. Attempting to recruit anyone into your own religion will greatly limit your usefulness in most medical marijuana collectives, cooperatives, or dispensaries.

    Of course, if anyone voluntarily asks about your religion or asks about joining your religion, you may freely discuss these matters as long as they desire to hear your answers.

July 31, 2010: Altars

    An altar is a flat sacrd space. It can be as simple as a table top or the flat top of almost any furniture or as ornate as a large intricately carved rock.

    Added today: circumabulation.

    One of the court tests for a religious defense in the Meyers’ Test is the requirement for “Sacred Places”.

    You need to prepare your defense long before you are ever arrested.

    An altar is a small but effective spiritual space. You dedicate the flat space to the divine as you know the divine.

    The altar can be completely empty or filled with religious items.

    In ancient times, many religions (including Judaism, Zorastrianism, and Hellenism) used altars for animal sacrifices to the divine.

    Altars were also used for making plant and harvest sacrifices to the divine.

    In modern times altars typically have candles and a symbol of the religion (such as a Christian cross or a statue of Buddha).

    Many Pagan religions have several items on the altar, sometimes intricate collections of religious items.

    It is common to change the items on the altar for the season and for special holy days.

    The Meret Shemat [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 31, 2010.

    The Lammas Eve [external link], a modern Wiccan and an ancient Celtic holy day occurs July 31, 2010.

    The Loki and Sigyn [external link], an Asatru or ancient Norse holy day occurs July 31, 2010.

    The Synoikia [external link], a Hellenistic or ancient Greek holy day occurs July 31, 2010.

    The Day of Tir (or Tishtar) [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 31, 2010.

    The Pridie Kalends of August [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 31, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and sage.

July 30, 2010: Sacred Space

    Added today: keepers of knowledge, marriage and weddings, organized structure, education, holy days, diet, appearance, clothing, propagation, distinct existence, and rituals.

    One of the court tests for a religious defense in the Meyers’ Test is the requirement for “Sacred Places”.

    You need to prepare your defense long before you are ever arrested.

    Do you as a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister have a sacred space within the collective, dispensary, or cooperative that you work at?

    Even a small altar will do.

    Ideally you want the government to submit its own photographs showing your sacred space, but make sure that your lawyer has up to date photos of your sacred space. It is better to use chemical photography rather than digital photography because digital photography is too easily modified to be strong evidence.

    If there is enough space at your collective, dispensary, or cooperative, you might ask the owner to set aside a room as a chapel room. The owner may or may not allow smoking cannabis, but even without religious cannabis use, having a room set aside for contemplation and spirituality makes it much more clear that you are practicing a real ministry rather than faking religion as a legal defense.

    Even if your collective, dispensary, or cooperative can’t set aside an entire separate room as a chapel room, you still need to minister to those in need. This means more than merely collecting money and passing out cannabis. Yes, the physical substance (which in my religion is a divine gift from Goddess, or gyfu) is important for healing, but from a religious view, helping the psyche, mind, and soul is just as important.

    See: sacred places for more information.

    The LA Weekly reports that a Rasta temple was raided by the Los Angeles police: raid [external link].

    According to the article, NJweedman, the director of the raided temple (Liberty Bell II) stated “Everybody’s rolling out of the shop, rolling out of the dispensary, rolling out of the temple, whatever you want to call it.”

    If you aren’t sure what it is called (shop, dispensary, temple, or whatever you call it), then you shouldn’t be surprised if the government doesn’t believe that it is religious.

    Being a real medical marijuana minister is most definitely not a matter of purchasing a card or making unsupported claims of religious freedom. A real minister actually ministers to the needs of the people.

    This website is about doing this for real.

    The Disappointing of Ra [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 30, 2010.

    The Festival to Aphrodite [external link], a Hellenistic or ancient Greek holy day occurs July 30, 2010.

    The Day of Mah [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 30, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and yarrow.

July 29, 2010: Sacred Writings

    Added today: sacred writings, temples, gardens, external signs, accoutrements of religion, prophets, and pyramids.

    One of the court tests for a religious defense in the Meyers’ Test is the requirement for “Important Writings”.

    You need to prepare your defense long before you are ever arrested.

    Using my own religion as an example (please gather similar presentation for your own religion), the Kemetic or ancient Egyptian religion independently developed writing, one of four civilizations to independently develop writing early in human history (Egytpian, Sumerian, Indian, and Chinese). While there is legitimate debate among archaeologists as to who came up with writing first, there is no doubt that the early Egyptian written word for ankh is the oldest known example of writing.

    The ancient Egyptians have many examples of important writings, so many that most museum collections are only partially translated due to the sheer volume of surviving written materials.

    The most famous religious writings of ancient Egypt are the Pyramid texts and the “Book of Coming Forth into the Day”, which Christians derisively call “the Egyptian Book of the Dead”.

    The Egyptian writing system, the medu ntr, which translates as divine writing, and is commonly called by the Greek name hieroglyphs, are the source of the Arabic, Carthagean, Coptic, Etruscan, Germanic, Gothic, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Norse, Phoenician, and Roman alphabets.

    See: sacred writings for more information.

    The Going Forth of the Great Flame [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 29, 2010.

    The Maitresse Silverine [external link], a Voodoo or Voodun holy day occurs July 29, 2010.

    The Day of Khwarshed [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 29, 2010.

    The incense for the day is cannabis and apricot.

July 28, 2010: After Life

    Added today: metaphysical beliefs, creation,after life, and ethical system.

    One of the court tests for a religious defense in the Meyers’ Test is the requirement for “Comprehensiveness of Beliefs”. One of these is some belief about the after life.

    You need to prepare your defense long before you are ever arrested.

    Using my own religion as an example (please gather similar presentation for your own religion), the Kemetic or ancient Egyptian religion developed four basic ideas about the after life. These beliefs strongly influenced most Western religions and may have had influence on Eastern religions.

    The ancient Egyptians used mummification to preserve the body. Some religions, especially Christianity, used burial, a less expensive but also less effective method.

    The soul went on to Duat or Tuat, which stretched across the Milky Way and went underneath the earth, describing the path of the solar barque on a daily cycle.

    Bad souls were judged and destroyed.

    Good souls went on to the Fields of Elysium or the Western Place. There were seven valleys in this heaven, ranked by how good you were during life. You could go up or down in the after life based on you behaved in your continued after life.

    Souls also had the option of reincarnation to improve. One version was 12 basic life lessons and 12 advanced life lessons, aligned with the 12 signs of the Zodiac. A person could potentially learn all 24 life lessons in one life or potentially spend many lives on a single life lesson.

    A soul can voluntarily return even after achieving all 24 life lessons. A modern belief states that the Dark Ages were the result of too many enlightened souls rushing to heaven and leaving behind too high a proportion of unenlightened souls, resulting in loss of civilization. In this belief, the current explosion of new ideas and spread of civilization is the result of a large number of enolightened souls voluntarily returning to help out and prevent another return of the Dark Ages.

    Trevor Douglas of Colorado was convicted March 9, 2010, on the charges of possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and possession of marijuana paraphernalia by Clear Creek County Judge Rachel J. Olguin-Fresquez and sentenced to 15 hours of community service and $200 in fines.

    Judge Fresquez reasoned that Trevor's acts were not part of an “organized” religion. She said that what Trevor was engaging in was more philosophical beliefs than organized religion. She said since the Church of Universal Sacraments, a Hilo campus-based church, was now defunct, that Trevor could not claim he was a member. She also said that since Trevor’s affiliation with the THC Ministry came after his citation, it was not relevant to the case. Judge Fresquez used the Supreme Court decisions of US v Meyers and Cantwell v. State of Connecticut in reaching her verdict.

    Denver cannabis attorney Rob Corry agreed to represent Trevor at the last minute. “I have no doubt that Trevor is sincere in his religious beliefs,” said attorney Rob Corry. Corry was disappointed in the decision, but said that the judge's gave valuable information for future cases.

    The important lesson from that case is to prepare your defense in advance.

    The Going Forth of Hedj-Hotep [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 28, 2010.

    The St. Pantaleone’s Feast Day [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 28, 2010.

    The Day of Aban [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 28, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and lavender.

July 27, 2010: Creation

    One of the court approved tests of a “real” religion is the existence of metaphysical ideas.

    The Kemetic or ancient Egyptian religion has more than 100 different creation myths, but most are variations of the Cosmic Orgasm.

    The federal government is keeping Roger Christie in jail without bail on the false argument that he was supposedly committing crimes “under the guise of religious freedom” and falsely claimed that references to cannabis as “sacrament” is a “code-word”.

    It is vitally important that you fully develop your presentation of your religious beliefs so that you can successfully use a religious defense against Christian police, DEA agents, and judges (note that this even applies if you belong to a cannabis-using version of Christianity).

    The Pacifying Hearts [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 27, 2010.

    The St. Pantaleone’s Feast Day [external link], a Christian saint day based on an ancient Italian holy day occurs July 27, 2010.

    The Day of Hatshepsut [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day and a modern Wiccan holy day occurs July 27, 2010.

    The Day of Adar [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 27, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and cedar.

July 26, 2010: Creativity

    I had wrongly thought that lawyers (not all, but most) failed to have any regard for creativity because they had small, unexercised imaginations.

    Based on conversations with several lawyers over the last few years I have finally realized that lawyers (again, some, not all) don’t believe that creativity or imagination actually exists!

    I was recently discussing a major advance in mathematics with a lawyer. She didn’t understand the advance in mathematics, but opined that anyone who took the appropriate class could have come up with the advance.

    She simply didn’t understand that you can’t take a class in a subject that doesn’t yet exist in human thought.

    This explains why I have heard a lawyer claim that all writing is a simple matter of learning the right template, completely dismissing the creative input of great writers such as Shakespeare or Shaw. Note that the discussion was centered on the literary innovations of Shakespeare and Shaw.

    This helps explain why lawyers dealing with musicians seem to be completely unable to understand the role of creativity in creating music. It even explains the Sony debacle of attempting to start a new record label using only studio musicians performing material written on an assembly line, a mistake that cost Sony hundreds of millions of dollars.

    I bring up this subject for two reasons.

    The first is to help you realize that your lawyer may simply be unable to understand your religious beliefs. Similarly, your judge may simply be unable to understand your religious beliefs. This can result iin great injustice because of the limited minds of some (not all) lawyers and judges. You may be perfectly right but still face an unjust decision.

    The second is as a religious topic.

    The ancient Egyptian religion viewed creativity as a divine gift from the Goddess (usually Bast).

    Most world religions include the concept of creativity being a divine gift. The word “inspiration” literally means the divine breathing into a human.

    The Going Forth of Ra [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 26, 2010.

    The Sleipnir [external link], an Asatru or ancient Norse holy day occurs July 26, 2010.

    The Kachina [external link], a Hopi holy day occurs July 26, 2010.

    The Gra’'Délai et Gran’Aloumandia [external link], a Voodou or Voodun holy day occurs July 26, 2010.

    The Day of Day-pa-Adar [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 26, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and narcissus.

July 25, 2010: Lunar Cycles

    Today is the Full Moon, at 9:37 p.m. EDT or 6:37 p.m. PDT.

    Most religions of the world use the lunar cycles and lunar calendar. The obvious excptions are the Zorastrian and Christian religions, which both use a solar calendar from ancient Egypt.

    The Full Moon is typically a symbol of fulfillment and the New Moon is typically a symbol of beginnings.

    In the Kemetic or ancient Egyptian religion the Full Moon was celebrated as the Day of Isis (Aset) and celebrated by placing candles in little boats (similar to modern toy boats, often made out of paper). The Nile would sparkle with the lights of all the candles floating in boats.

    In most traditions, the Full Moon can be celebrated the day before, the day of, and the day after the actual Full Moon.

    Do you have any special ceremonies or celebrations planned for today?

    The Day of Welcoming [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 25, 2010.

    The Tenjin Matsuri [external link], a Japanese holy day occurs July 25, 2010.

    The Festival of Furrinalia [external link], an ancient Italian holy day occurs July 25, 2010.

    The Name Day of Amurdad [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 25, 2010.

    The Papa Ogou [external link], a Voodou holy day occurs July 25, 2010.

    The Full Moon [external link], a holy day in many religions occurs July 25, 2010.

    The Day of Isis [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 25, 2010.

    The Poornima [external link], an ancient Hindu holy day occurs July 25, 2010.

    The Name Day of Amurdad [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 25, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and almond.

July 24, 2010: Incense

    Incense is important in many religious rituals for religions throughout the world.

    The English words “incense” and “frankincense” come from the Kemetic or ancient Egyptian word Neter Sentra (or Ntr Sentra), which is usually translated as incense but literally means “the breath of the Goddess”.

    The breath of the Goddess is specifically cannabis smoke and more generally any incense.

    Exactly when and how hemp and cannabis were introduced into ancient Egypt is still subject to archaeological debate. Cannabis/hemp was commonly grown in ancient Egyptian temple gardens. The use of hemp for non-religious purposes may have been delayed as much as a thousand years from the time of widespread use of hemp for rope throughout the rest of Asia, Africa, and Europe. This may have been because the cannabis plant was reserved for religious and magickal uses, espeically as Ntr Sentra (literally, “the breath of Goddess”) incense. Khufu and Meritites (also spelled Meryetites, Meritates, Merityotes, or Meritates) conducted a ceremony that involved Meritites becoming Seshat incarnate. As Seshat, Goddess of measuring and hemp, Meritates inhaled cannabis smoke and kissed the cannabis breath into the mouth of Khufu, who became Heru (Horus) incarnate.Meritites, still as Seshat in human form, used knotted twine, probably hemp twine, to make the first measurements for the largest of the Great Pyramids, the only surviving of the Seven Wonders of the World.

    Herodotus specifically mentions that the cannabis and cinnamon incense at the Great Temple at Bubastis (in honor of Bast, my Goddess) was so strong that people were getting high from it miles away while still arriving on boats!

    Note that when working with some seriously ill persons there may be a need to avoid incense other than cannabis. This can also apply to allergies.

    I do give a recommended magickal/religious incense for each day. These aren’t my personal recommendations, but come from world famous Pagans.

    The Tenjin Matsuri [external link], a Japanese holy day occurs July 24, 2010.

    The Day of Hordad [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 24, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and sandalwood.

July 23, 2010: Family

    One of the most important things in successful treatment of serious disease is the support of the family.

    As a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister, you will want to discuss family and how good the relations are with their family.

    If there are rifts in the family, you might look into what can be done to repair the rifts. As a new medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister you may find this kind of counseling beyond your abilities. Do not be ashamed to enlist the help of better trained professionals.

    In many cases family relations may not be possible. The person may be old enough to have no surviving family members. There may be irrepairable rifts in the family. The family may be too far away.

    This is where building a support group will help. The support group can become a substitute family.

    The Peaceful Navigation [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 23, 2010.

    The Birthday of Haile Selassie [external link], a Rastafari Hola day occurs July 23, 2010.

    The Neptunalia [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 23, 2010.

    The Day of Spandarmad [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 23, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and alder.

July 22, 2010: Nutrition

    The government often claims that medical marijuana dispensaries, collectives, or cooperatives are actually drug dealers in disguise. I agree that this does happen.

    Unfortunately real medical marijuana also gets caught up in the system.

    It is vitally important that medical marijuana ministers and medical cannabis ministers clearly distinguish themselves from drug dealing budtenders on a daily and continual basis.

    Your interactions should clearly be a ministry rather than drug sales.

    One thing you can do to distinguish yourself from a drug dealing budtender is to talk to those you minister about nutrition.

    Most (possibly all) medical problems that can be treated with cannabis also have a nutritional aspect for proper care. And nutrition is one of the few things completely in a pateint’s control, which matters a lot to those facing large scale problems such as cancer or HIV/AIDS.

    Discuss nutrition with those you minister to. Ask about their doctor’s orders regarding nutrition. Find out how well they are following proper nutrition for their medical problem and what nutritional problems they may be having.

    A sudden massive change in diet can be difficult for many people. Their medical needs go directly against a lifetime of habits and personal preferences.

    As a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister you can help them get on the right path nutritionally. You can be the gentle supportive influence that helps them through struggles and even falling off their medical diet.

    Some religions teach being judgemental. Lady Ada (first modern computer programmer, mid-1800s) was denied access to pain medication in her final days and died in horrible pain. Her mother honestly thought that the pain would clean her soul and prepare her for the afterlife with Jesus.

    I strongly urge a lack of judgementalism. Your primary role as a minister is to be able to help a person find heir own way.

    You will find some information on diets for various serious illnesses at the diet page.

    The Contrary Wind [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 22, 2010.

    The Day of Shahrewar [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 22, 2010.

    The incense for the day is cannabis.

July 21, 2010: Lesbian Marriage

    I don’t want to offend anyone who sincerely believes that lesbianism is an atrocity and sin to their divine.

    My purpose is to provide information for all religions, but I do need to use specific examples. This example comes from my own religion. Not every religion will have this particular example.

    If you read the government’s reply on keeping Roger Christie in federal detention (jail) without bond (available at the THC website [external link]), you will notice that the government emphasizes a claim that Roger’s religion was supposedly a single topic “ruse” that existed as only as a “scam” to avoid prosecution.

    In the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) religion, there are more than a hundred creation myths. Dozens of these creation myths (a majority of the creation myths) involve the Goddesses Bast and Sekhmet having lesbian sex to create the universe in the burst of light of the Cosmic Orgasm. There is a lot more to this myth than I have time to write here, but it also includes the Goddess Neith weaving something that seems extraordinarily like modern string theory.

    The first recorded marriages in history (as contrasted with simple mating) were religious ceremonies between the high priestess of Bast and high priestess of Sekhmet as part of a religious ceremony recreating the creation myth. Note that the use of cannabis as a sacred incense (Ntr Sentra) was an important and central part of the myth and the ceremony.

    Priestesses of Bast, Sekhmet, Ma’at, Seshat, and many other Goddesses started having religious marriage ceremonies.

    The religious ritual of marriage then passed on to the Pharaoh and eventally to the population of Kemet (ancient Egypt) and elsewhere in the world.

    Contrary to the claims of many (not all) Christian ministers and priests, marriage did not start as a religious act between a man and a woman, but started as a religious act between a woman and a woman.

    I don’t know how many laws you sincerely believe the divine requires you to get overturned, but you may want to look at challenging religious laws, including the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on the grounds that they violate your religion.

    While speaking out against two unjust laws will water down your efforts, it will also clearly demonstrate in court that you are not into a single cause opposition to the government’s officially established religion.

    The Lucaria [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 21, 2010.

    The Day of Ardwahisht [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 21, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and bay laurel.

July 20, 2010: Comprehensive Beliefs

    Added today: ultimate ideas, comprehensiveness of beliefs, and philosophy.

    One of the tests of a legally valid religion is whether or not it is comprehensive.

    If you read the government’s reply on turning down bail in Roger Christie’s case (available at the THC website [external link]), you will notice that the government emphasizes a claim that Roger’s religion was a one trick pony and therefore supposedly only a scam to avoid prosecution.

    This is why I keep emphasizing sincerity and learning to be a real minister.

    If you are just a budtender in disguise, then the government will rip your supposed religious defense to shreds.

    Part of really believing is having a complete religion, covering more than just cannabis.

    Both Rasta and Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church [external link] are complete churches that cover more than just marijuana. Similarly the Kemetic or ancient Egyptian religion [external link] covers far more than just marijuana.

    All three of those are originally Black African religions. All three have Whites, Asians, Hispanics, and other peoples. The Kemetic religion is the one of the three that has the widest non-Black appeal.

    While it shouldn’t matter, there are actual cases where the government has claimed that a Hispanic or White man couldnt be a real Rasta because of their skin color — a very racist government claim.

    How comprehensive is your religion? Do you cover more than just cannabis?

    The Ennead go before Re [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 20, 2010.

    The Festival of the Return of Isis [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 20, 2010.

    The Birthday Feast of Ra [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 20, 2010.

    The Day of Vohuman [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 20, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and geranium.

July 19, 2010: Calling

    I’ve mentioned before the idea of a divine calling.

    There are three major ways that a person becomes a member of the clergy: (1) birth (born into a fmaily of the priesthood), (2) selection (the priesthood selects who becomes a member of the priesthood), and (3) calling (the person answers a personal call from the divine).

    All three of these occurred in the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) religion.

    Anyone can be called, because it is the choice of the divine rather than the choice of humans. Some very unusal choices have occurred in history.

    It is likely that many of the persons who become medical marijuana ministers or medical cannabis ministers do so because they have a personal calling from the divine.

    It is vital for legal reasons that the calling be sincere. Judges and prosecutors are likely to be suspicious of any claim for a religious exemption to the law and they will be crtically and skeptically examining the claims of any medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister.

    If you are answering a calling, you will want to be ready to testify about the details of your calling. When did it happen? How did it happen? How did you know the calling was real?

    In my own personal experience, I personally met the Goddess Bast. She appeared before me in broad daylight.

    The Kemetic New Year [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 19, 2010.

    The Rising of the Nile [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 19, 2010.

    The Birth of Re-Horakhty [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 19, 2010.

    The Sacred Drama Day [external link], ancient Roman holy day occurs July 19, 2010.

    The Lucaria [external link], ancient Roman holy day occurs July 19, 2010.

    The Day of Ohrmazd [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 19, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and hyssop.

July 18, 2010: Four Kinds of Divine

    Although the courts are not supposed to require belief in the divine to acknowledge a religion, they often do place this requirement.

    There are four general kinds of divine.

    The oldest is tribal or shamanic deity. This form of deity includes the nature spirits common to tribale religion. This is the kind that is still used by many tribal religions around the world. A famous example would be the Native American Church. This kind of deity appears in the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) religion (such as Bes).

    The second oldest is the archetype. This kind of deity is the personaication of basic underlying principles. The famous examples are most of the deities of the ancient Greek and Roman religions. This kind of deity appears in the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) religion (such as Ma’at and Sekhmet).

    The third kind of divine is the modern Western deity. The most famous example would be the Yahweh of Judaism and the Allah of Islam, as well as the three main deities of Christianity (God the Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit). Note that most Chrisitians claim that their three dieties are also simultaneously just one deity. This kind of divine does not have to be monotheistic, as shown in both Christianity and Hinduism. The first monotheistic religion in history was the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) worship of Aten. This kind of deity appears in the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) religion (such as Aset and Aten and Ptah).

    The fourth kind of divine is the modern Eastern divine. This is sometimes viewed as pantheism. The most famous examples are Buddhism and Confucianism. This kind of deity appears in the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) religion (such as Ntr).

    Roger Christie, founder of The Hawai’i Cannabis (THC) Ministry, remains in federal custody and has been denied bond on the claim that his religion is a danger to the community.

    The Birthday Feast of Nebet Het [external link] (Epagomenal Day), a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 18, 2010.

    The Feast to Aphrodite [external link], a Hellenistic or ancient Greek holy day occurs July 18, 2010.

    The Day of Anagran [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 18, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and hyacinth.

July 17, 2010: Proposition 19

    Added today: IRS Guidelines, numbers of believers, age of beliefs, and divinity.

    Proposition 19 is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It will make medical marijuana illegal, place everyday recreational users at risk of arrest, but keep large scale commercial growers and distributors safe and free.

    I was against Proposition 19 from the first time I saw it when signatures were being gathered because it threatened both medical marijuana and religious use.

    Both Jack Herer, author of “The Emperor Wears No Clothes”, and Dennis Peron, co-author of Proposition 215 (medical marijuana), opposed Proposition 19.

    To quote Dragonfly De La Luz’ article “Why Pro-pot Activists Oppose The 2010 Tax Cannabis Initiative: 18 Reasons To Vote Know” [external link]

    “People think it’s legalization, it’s being sold as legalization—even though it’s the opposite of legalization.” - Dennis Peron, author of Prop. 215 that legalized medical marijuana in California

    …

    Simply put, the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Initiative does not reflect most people’s ideas of what legalization would be. The media often incorrectly reports that this initiative calls for “full legalization” of marijuana. It does not. In fact, it reverses many of the freedoms marijuana consumers currently enjoy, pushes growers out of the commercial market, paves the way for the corporatization of cannabis, and creates new prohibitions and felonies where there are none now.

    …

    The late-Jack Herer, legendary marijuana activist known as the father of the legalization movement, vehemently opposed the initiative. In the last words of his impassioned final speech, moments before the heart attack that would eventually claim his life, he urged people not to support it.[1] Proposition 215 author, Dennis Peron, likewise denounced the initiative, saying it is not legalization, but “thinly-veiled prohibition.”[2]

    Compared to the present status of cannabis in California, many marijuana activists see this initiative as a giant leap backward. Ironically, it appears that marijuana is more “legal” in California today than it would be if this initiative were to pass.

    The initiative itself is a hazy maze of regulations and controls, some of which are ambiguous and confusing even for those well-versed in marijuana law.

    In his last speech, Jack Herer said “I don’t want to fucking give the United States government one fucking dollar of taxes. I think that they should go to fucking jail for getting you and me and 20 million people getting arrested for pot. It is the safest thing you can do in the universe. And that is what we are going to do in California. Okay? Comer over to my booth, over there, and I will see you next time.”

    Read Dragonfly De La Luz’ article “Why Pro-pot Activists Oppose The 2010 Tax Cannabis Initiative: 18 Reasons To Vote Know” [external link]

    Also read J. Craig Canada’s Santa Cruz County Drug Policy Examiner article “California’s Proposition 19 will supersede or amend its medical marijuana laws” [external link]

    Also read Bruce Cain’s Detroit Drug Policy Examiner article “War breaks out within the marijuana legalization movement” [external link]

    Also read Bruce Cain’s Detroit Drug Policy Examiner article “War Breaks Out Within the Marijuana Legalization Movement (Part 2)” [external link]

    Note that the California state Constitution protection of religious freedom would still allow medical marijuana ministers and medical cannabis ministers distribute medical marijuana for religious reasons, but will still require a highly skilled lawyer.

    Proposition 19 will make it illegal to have cannabis, including medical marijuana, unless it is purchased from large cannabusiness. There is an exception for growing for personal medical use, but the limit is so small compared to current medical marijuana laws as to force at least some (if not most) of medical marijuana to be purchased.

    Proposition 19 will make it nearly impossible for small non-profit medical marijuana collectives, dispensaries, or cooperatives to exist (unlesss someone very rich donates the massive amounts of money required to meet the standards Proposition 19 creates for large cannabusiness to operate.

    Proposition 19 was written by those who want a monopoly on cannabis in the state of California and the proposition is specifically designed to drive real medical marijuana out of the state.

    It is likely that the state supreme court will rule that there is a religious exemption for medical marijuana ministers, but not all people who sincerely distribute medical marijuana to those in need do that distribution for religious reasons.

    The Birthday Feast of Aset [external link] (Epagomenal Day), a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 17, 2010.

    The Day of Mahraspand [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 17, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and magnolia.

July 16, 2010: Meyers’ Test

    Added today: Meyers’ Test.

    If you attempt to use the RFRA in federal court (there is a Supreme Court decision stating that it doesn’t apply in state courts) the government will almost certainly challenge whether your religious belief that you must distribute medical marijuana is actually a religious belief or not.

    The most common test for whether or not a belief is religious is the Meyers’ Test, named for David Meyers, founder of the Church of Marijuana (which the federal courts ruled was not a religion).

    The Meyers’ Test involves a series of questions based on the Roman Catholic religion (the religion of a six member majority of the U.S. Supreme Court).

    1. Ultimate Ideas
    2. Metaphysical Beliefs
    3. Moral or Ethical System
    4. Comprehensiveness of Beliefs
    5. Accoutrements of Religion
        a. Founder, Prophet, or Teacher
        b. Important Writings
        c. Gathering Places
        d. Keepers of Knowledge
        e. Ceremonies and Rituals
        f. Structure or Organization
        g. Holidays
        h. Diet or Fasting
        i. Appearance and Clothing
        j. Propagation

    My religion (the ancient Egyptian) meets all but one of the standards (the one it fails is the requirement to attempt to convert other people, which my religion views as a fundamentally evil act and I’m not going to commit evil just to meet the Roman Catholic Church’s definition of religion).

    You will want to get together with your lawyer long in advance of being arrested and prepare a document showing how your religion meets the Meyers’ Test and is therefore a legally valid religion.

    For more informatio, see the article on the Meyers’ Test.

    The Birthday Feast of Neter Set [external link] (Epagomenal Day), a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 16, 2010.

    The Ethiopian Constitution Day [external link], a Rastafari lla day occurs July 16, 2010.

    The Day of Zam [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 16, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and orchid.

July 15, 2010: Dad

    Added today: Sincerity.

    On a personal note, my father died of kidney cancer at 9 p.m. Central Daylight Savings Time on Saturday, July 10, 2010.

    He was an electronic engineer. He created the hold button for the telephone. He created the first computerized automated tester for electronics coming off the factory line. He was one of the first (if not the first person) to get streaming internet porn to work. When he died he was working on an unbreakable code system.

    A lesson for everyone: he ignored the initial signs that he had cancer and didn’t seek medical attention until after the cancer had already metabolized. Just a reminder to everyone to watch for the signs of cancer and have them checked out early. Had my dad had his symptoms checked early he would still be alive.

    Also, as medical marijuana ministers you may have to help people deal with unfair corporate policies. I work for a company owned by Kroger. Like many large companies, they settled a strike with a split contract, granting older employees much better benefits and shafting new employees.

    Under Kroger’s new contract I was able to request a leave of absence to visit my father before he died, which I did. But I was warned by the company (in a letter sent to my home) that if I attempted to take another leave of absence in the next two years that I will be fired. Kroger refuses permission for me to attend my own father’s funeral. If I was under the old contract, I would be eligible for the federal Family Emergy Leave Act, but those under the new contract are banned from that federal law’s protection. Thanks to a heartless corporation and an uncaring union.

    Under Kroger’s new contract I don’t get paid for many holidays that California state law requires businesses to pay time and a half for, while those on the old contract get triple time.

    Under Kroger’s new contract I don’t get reasonable health benefits (and never can), while those under the old contract get Cadillac medical benefits.

    Am I angry about my father’s death? Yes!

    Am I angry about Kroger’s heartless and unfair labor policies? Yes!

    The Birthday Feast of Neter Heru [external link] (Epagomenal Day), a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 15, 2010.

    The Hekatombaion Noumenia [external link], a Hellenistic or ancient Greek holy day occurs July 15, 2010.

    The the Ides of July [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 15, 2010.

    The Day of Asman [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 15, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and myrrh.

July 14, 2010: Roger Christie

    Roger Christie, founder of The Hawai’i Cannabis (THC) Church, and 13 others were arrested by federal DEA, IRS, and Postal Service agents and state and local police.

    The government originally claimed that the church was a fake religion used as a cover for a large marijuana growing and distribution operation.

    U.S. Attorney Florence Nakakuni claimed that “This was a large-scale business. Marijuana is big, and this group was heavily involved in it.”

    U.S. Attorney Florence Nakakuni also claims that “There is no law that protects his allegations of using marijuana religiously.”

    We know that Ms. Nakakuni is blatantly lying because the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8-0 that the RFRA protects religious use of Schedule I drugs and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that Reverend Benny Guerrero (Rasta) had the right to religious cannabis.

    This emphasizes once again that while you can’t prevent government officials from arresting you, you can win in court.

    It is vital to prepare in advance.

    The Birthday Feast of Neter Asar [external link] (Epagomenal Day), a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 14, 2010.

    The Feast of Hekate [external link], a Hellenistic or ancient Greek holy day occurs July 14, 2010.

    The Mid Summer Althingi [external link], an Asatru or ancient Norse holy day occurs July 14, 2010.

    The (pridie) eve of the Ides of July [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 14, 2010.

    The Day of Ashtad [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 14, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and honeysuckle.

    Note that this is my birthday.

July 13, 2010: Arrest

    Having a legally valid religious defense does not actually prevent arrest. It allows you to avoid going to prison.

    It may lower the chance of arrest. There have been many indiviudals with small quantities of cannabis who have asserted their religious defense to the police and been let go without any arrest. I have personally been stopped by the police many times and when asked about drugs showed my cannabis and my religious cannabis card. In my experience, the police spend a while on the radio with their supervisors trying to figure out what to do and eventually let me go. I’ve never been arrested. had to stand around and wait for up to a half an hour while the police figure out what to do, but never been arrested.

    When the police raid a medical cannabis collective, dispensary, or cooperative, they generally arrest the owner. They may or may not arrest anyone else and may or may not arrest everyone else.

    Always wearing your medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister ID badge on a lanyard around your neck will make it clear to the police that you have a religious defense (they may not know whether it is a valid defense or not) and that may be enough to discourage them from arresting you. You can obtain your medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister ID card from Pr Ntr Kmt [external link] (telephone 949-566-0001).

    If you arrested, keep your mouth shut until you have a chance to speak to your lawyer. The U.S. Supreme Court recently deleted the requirement that the police warn you that you have the right to remain silent and that anything you say might be used against you in a court of law. If you already have a lawyer, insist on talking to that lawyer before saying anything to the police and repeatedly answer all questions with the phrase “I want to speak to my lawyer before saying anything.” The U.S. Supreme Court long ago ruled the police have the reight to lie to you (although it is a crime for you to lie to the police). The police have the legal right to falsely claim that you do not have the right to a lawyer in order to trick you into making a confession. Do not fall for this. Continually insist on speaking to your lawyer. Answer all questions, no matter how innocent sounding, with the request to speak to your lawyer.

    If you do not have a lawyer, repeatedly request that one be appointed for you. Again, do not answer any questions, no matter how innocent those questions may sound. Don’t even tell your name, age, or address. Don’t answer any questions without a lawyer. Repeatedly ask that a lawyer be appointed for you. The police may delay or avoid providing you with a lawyer. They often keep you locked in a isolated room waiting for a lawyer that never comes in order to get you to crack and sign a false confession. They may deprive you of sleep, food, and water to enhance the fear of worse torture. Do not tell them anything. Keep asking for a lawyer. When you go to court, answer all questions witht he request for a lawyer. Don’t be afraid of the judge. Refuse to even enter a plea untilt he judge personally provides you with a defense lawyer. Do not answer any of the judge’s questions until the judge lets you consult with a lawyer. The judge may threaten to imprison you for contempt of court. A judge can legally lock up an innceotn human being for life without any trial or jury for contempt of court. Innocent humans have spent years in jail for contempt of court for refusing to answer a judge’s questions (such as Barry Bonds’ friend). Do not cave in. Inisst on your right to have a lawyer before answering any questions. If you give the wrong answer, you can be sentenced to decades in prison. Don’t risk it. Insist on the right to alawyer no matter how angry the judge gets.

    A decent lawyer should be able to assert your religious defense and get you freed.

    In the meantime, accept that you make risk some time in jail (typically hours or a few days). Are your religious beliefs strong enough that you are willing to accept a few days in jail and possibly face some police abuses? Famous American police abuses typically include severe beatings and being raped by police batons. Are your religious beliefs sincere?

    The Last Day of the Year [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 13, 2010.

    The Day of Ard [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 13, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and ginger.

July 12, 2010: Invocation

    Invocation is using a divine name to obtain miraculous effect. The most famous example is religious prayer.

    The hallmark of invocation is calling on the name of the divine, such as “in Jesus’ name …” or “by Zeus …”.

    In some tribal or other religions, it was possible to discover a true divine name and actually command the divine through invocation.

    In msot modern religions invocation is a request and is granted at the option of the divine, the divine being too powerful to command.

    What is the form of invocation in your religion?

    The Holy Day of Sokar [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 12, 2010.

    The Day of Den [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 12, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and lily.

July 11, 2010: Knowledge

    How does your religion treat knowledge?

    The Kemetic of ancient Egyptian religion had a very high regard for knowledge. The Kemetic priesthood created most of the early mathematics, including algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Imhotep, priest of Ptah, created trigonometry. Hypatia, priestess of Isis (Aset), created calculus in antiquity, but Christians destroyed all of her books after accusing her of Witchcraft. Euclid was the pseudonym for a group of priests and priestesses of Serapis working at the Great Library at Alexandria.

    The Kemetic religion created the basic sciences: physics, chemistry (still named for the Kemetic deity Khem), biology, and atronomy, as well as creating engineering.

    The Kemetic religion created philosophy and ethics.

    The Kemetic religion created the first universal free public education system and the first libraries, the most famous being the Great Library at Alexandria.

    Christians, acting on orders from the same Christian bishops who created the Christian Nicean Creed, destroyed part of the Great Library at Alexandria and burned down all other libraries in the Roman Empire.

    Muslims, acting on orders from the Mohammad’s direct successors, destoryed the remainder of the Great Lirary at Alexandria.

    How does your religion treat knowledge?

    The Feast of Min [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 11, 2010.

    The New Moon Esbat [external link], a Wiccan holy day occurs July 11, 2010.

    The Amavasya [external link], a Hindu holy day occurs July 11, 2010.

    The Total Solar Eclipse (12:33 p.m. Pacific Daylught Savings Time) [external link], a holy day celebrated by most ancient religions occurs July 11, 2010.

    The Day of Day-pa-Den [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 11, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and eucalyptus.

July 10, 2010: Hard Work

    Most world religions teach that hard work is an important key to success (there is a major religion that teaches that the only thing that matters is how much faith you have in their diety).

    Before my current job I had thought that the vast majority of human beings were intelligent, well-educated, hard working, and highly creative. I have discovered to my surprise that all four of these attributes are actually rare.

    Three years ago I would have taken for granted that everyone would work as hard as they could.

    Now, I am urging medical marijuana ministers and medical cannabis ministers to set a good example by working hard.

    This means focusing on your ministry and helping people throughout the work day. There should not be anyone else at the medical marijuana collective, dispensary, or cooperative that works harder or gets more done than the ministers.

    Please don’t be caught slacking off and hiding in a back room (simply don’t slack off and you’ll never be caught).

    Please don’t be the person who avoids doing work and sloughing it off on other workers.

    Set a positive example. Be the best worker at your dispensary, collective, or cooperative.

    Remember that you are working for the divine, not for the owner. You have a higher calling.

    The Neptunalia [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 10, 2010.

    The Hecate Moon [external link], an ancient Greek and modern Wiccan holy day occurs July 10, 2010.

    The Day of Wad (or Gowad) [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 10, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and rue.

July 9, 2010: Blessings

    Medical marijuana ministers and medical cannabis ministers can religiously bless cannabis before use.

    In some religions there are traditional blessings that are very intricate and can take days, weeks, or longer to perform. Historical examples of intricate blessings of cannabis come from the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) religion, Hinduism, Zorastrianism, Witchcraft, Hellenism, and the Scythian religion.

    Almost all religions include simple and fast methods of blessings. These typically involve a simple hand gesture (usually some kind of waving of the hand over the item to be blessed or a clasping of the hands) accompanied by a few simple spoken words invoking the blessing of the divine.

    In Christianity this might be “Dear God. Bless this cannabis in Jesus’ name. Amen.” The Kemetic (ancient Egyptian), Phoenician, and early Hebrew religions also invoked the name of the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) deity Amen to add power to a prayer or blessing.

    While many people will appreciate having a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister bless their medicinal marijuana, not everyone will want this done. For example, some atheists might object. Or some might object to a blessing being performed by someone outside of their own religion.

    As a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister, you can always offer to bless the cannabis. It is the choice of the person whether he or she wants his or her cannabis blessed or not.

    The Sailing Day [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 9, 2010.

    The Day of Ram [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 9, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and cypress.

July 8, 2010: Donations

    Medical marijuana ministers and medical cannabis ministers can receive donations.

    Any person making a donation has the right to request a receipt. A minister does not have to provide the receipt, but the person doesn’t have to make a donation without a receipt, so it makes sense to give the person their receipt.

    The medical cannabis minister or medical marijuana minister does not have to do any accounting.

    The receipt should list what the person donated, what the person received in return (if anything), the date, the name and title of the minister, and the minister’s signature.

    The minister does not have to determine the value of anything (goods or services) donated. Simply list what was donated on the receipt. The accounting work for figuring out what the donation was worth is up to the person making the donation (or their tax lawyer).

    The minister does not have to determine the value of anything received in return for the donation. Simply list what was given in return on the receipt. The accounting work for figuring out what the donation was worth is up to the person making the donation (or their tax lawyer).

    It is best to keep a copy of the receipt with the the donation.

    The Day Ntr Established [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 8, 2010.

    The Nonae Caprotinae (Nones of the Wild Figs) [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 8, 2010.

    The Vitulatio [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 8, 2010.

    The Tinne (T) Month of the Holly [external link], an ancient Celtic holy day occurs July 8, 2010.

    The Day of Warharan [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 8, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and nutmeg.

July 7, 2010: Chronic Pain

    Chronic pain can ruin a person’s life. It can take away their job, their marriage, their favorite activities. It can make their lives miserable.

    Unfortunately, many people ignore or belittle chronic pain. Because pain is a subjective experience and there is no physical test for pain, those with chronic pain can be disbelieved by their employer, family, even their doctor.

    Medical marijuana or medical cannabis can be useful in treating chronic pain.

    Beyond that, provide good listening. As a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister, it is your job to listen to the person’s pain, to be there for them, to take their condition seriously, even when nobody else will.

    The Day of Ra [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 7, 2010.

    The Festival of Consualia [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 7, 2010.

    The Festival of Feriae Ancillarum [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 7, 2010.

    The Parilia [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 7, 2010.

    The the Nones of July [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 7, 2010.

    The Day of Frawardin [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 7, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and lilac.

July 6, 2010: Body Control

    Those with serious diseases, especially those near the end of their lives, start to lose control of their own body. This is very disconcerting.

    It is very common for those losing control of their own body to lash out and try to take control of anything in their environment that they can control.

    One common target is caregivers. A patient will become very demanding because the care taker is the only thing in their life that they can still control.

    It is better for the sick person if the caregiver (in this case, the medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister) to avoid being sucked into this.

    Yes, you need to minister to the person’s needs. But don’t give in to any and every whim. They will run you ragged in no time.

    Give good care at your own pace. Let them know that you will minister to their needs, but that you won’t be dancing to every whim.

    One classic method common among medical caregivers is to obviously and in plain view go through the preparation process slowly and methodically. Wash your hands. Put on dispoable latex gloves. Prepare any equipment t be used. Meet all of the standards of care, but do so slowly and methodically. This introduces a time delay that breaks the pattern of the dying person attempting to control the care giver and gives strong reassurance that the care giver is taking all of the proper steps to guarantee the best care possible.

    The Day of Rashnu [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 6, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and ylang-ylang.

July 5, 2010: Divine Calling

    In many religions, especially Abrahamic religions (such as Christianity and Islam), ministry work is a divine calling. This contrasts with those religions (such as Hinduism and most tribal religions) where ministry work is hereditary.

    For those who are Protestant Christians, this is a well recognized path to the ministry. If you honestly and sincerely believe that the divine (Jesus or God or the Holy Spiriti or the Holy Ghost) has called you to be a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister, then you have a duty to the divine to obey that calling.

    In most religions that include a calling to the ministry, each individual can confirm this calling through prayer.

    The Feast of Anpu [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 5, 2010.

    The Poplifugia [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 5, 2010.

    The Day of Srosh [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 5, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and rosemary.

July 4, 2010: Independence Day

    Independence Day is celebrated in the United States as the day Americans gained their basic liberty.

    What could be more basic a liberty than freedom of religion, freedom of faith, freedom of belief, freedom of thought?

    Congress recognized the importance of freedom of religion when it passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), which requires the government to find the least restrictive way possible to meet government needs when a federal law imposes on sincerely held religious beliefs.

    At a minimum, the government must give religious acts the same freedom as any secular acts. The continuing existence of a federal government program to provide medical marijuana to a few remaining individuals for secular reasons means that the government must also allow medical marijuana ministers and medical cannabis ministers the exact same right to provide medical marijuana to those in need.

    Check this out with your lawyer.

    The American Independence Day [external link], an American (U.S.) holiday occurs July 4, 2010.

    The Day of Pax [external link], an American (U.S.) holiday occurs July 4, 2010.

    The Day of Mihr [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 4, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and juniper.

July 3, 2010: Standard of Care

    The term “standard of care” is used primarily in the medical and health fields, but can be applied to ministries, especially for ministers that deal with the sick and elderly, such as medical marijuana ministries or medical cannabis ministries..

    Standard of care refers to established minimum standards for the proper care for certain health problems.

    One example would be the use of disposable latex gloves being changed between dealing with each patient so as to avoid transfer of disease between patients, especially important when some of the patients are immune system compromised. The principle of avoiding transfer of disease from one patient to another was proved by Dr. Lister.

    Another standard of care would be the handling of medications. In for-profit marijuana retail stores (which often call themselves “medical marijuana” collectives, dispensaries, or cooperatives) you will see the salespersons handling the cannabis and showing it to different customers, often encouraging customers to touch the product.

    A real medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister wouldn’t do that with real cannabis medication because of the danger of transfer of disease. This is a matter of standard of care.

    German King Frederick created the separation between those who prescribe medication (doctors) and those who prepare the medications (pharmacists). This separation remains common in the Western world (U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand). Frederick’s idea was that having the same person figure out what was needed and also sell that item was too tempting a source for corruption. A doctor could be influenced by what is the higher profit medication rather than what is the medically best medication.

    This separation did not occur in other world cultures. practitioners of Ayurveda and Chinese traditional Medicine, for example, are expected to not only be good at diagnosis but also skilled at the preparation of medications. The doctor can personally guarantee the quality of the medication and can modify the creation of the medication to meet indiviudal patient needs.

    These two different approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, but each represents the idea of a standard of care.

    What is your standard of care as a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister? Can you explain and defend your standard of care in court?

    The Day of Cleaning and Renewal [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 3, 2010.

    The Festival of Cerridwen [external link], an ancient Celtic holy day occurs July 3, 2010.

    The Day of Day-pa-Mihr [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 3, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and pine.

July 2, 2010: Death Alone

    It is common for people to wait until they are alone to die.

    Many people need a bit of private space to face the release to death. So they wait until nobody is in the room to die.

    Their family members come back to find their relative dead. The family member wanted to be there for their relative so that there relative doesn’t have to die alone.

    The family member feels guilty about going to the bathroom or fetching water or some other minor activity that caused them to leave the room. They feel they have abandoned their family member at the time of greatest need.

    As a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister you may want to make the family aware of this so that they don’t feel guilty if it happens.

    The Day of Udjat [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 2, 2010.

    The Feast of Local Divine [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 2, 2010.

    The Feast of Expectant Mothers [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 2, 2010.

    The Day of Goshorum [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 2, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and vanilla.

July 1, 2010: Dealing With Death

    As a medical marijuana minister or medical cannabis minister you will encounter terminal patients (those who are certain to die soon unless there is a miracle).

    End of life can be hard on the person dying, on the person’s family, and on any caregivers (including you).

    As a minister, part of your job is helping the person confront and understand death.

    Ideally, you want to help them find their own understanding, something they are comfortable with.

    It helps to learn the death and afterlife beliefs of multiple religions so that you can better help those from a wide variety of religions.

    You will encounter those who are atheists, agnostics, or even deists. You still need to help them deal with impending death in their own spiritual, intellectual, and emotional space.

    Some religions use death as a recruiting and marketing tool, making promises about the after life in trade for paid membership. If you are a member of such a religion, you may be tempted to try to convert the person to your religion to guarantee them the benefits of paid membership.

    This is a time for compassion. Your best tool is listening.

    The Rebel Day [external link], a Kemetic or ancient Egyptian holy day occurs July 1, 2010.

    The Name Day of Tir [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 1, 2010.

    The Canada Day [external link], a Canadian national holiday occurs July 1, 2010.

    The Day of Tir (or Tishtar) [external link], a Zoroastrian or ancient Persian holy day occurs July 1, 2010.

    The Kalends of July [external link], an ancient Roman holy day occurs July 1, 2010.

    The incense for today is cannabis and jasmine.

 

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warning:

    The courts have already ruled in multiple cases that a person who starts preparing a religious defense (including gathering certificates and other paperwork) after arrest loses all chance to use the late religious defense. It is essential that you prepare your defense before you are arrested. Adequate preparation may even prevent arrest.

    This website is concerned with religious matters and only obliquely discusses the law. I strongly recommend that medical marijuana ministers rely on a high quality lawyer.

    I (Milo) use my own religion as an example, because this is the religion I know well. I strongly urge people to get together with their lawyer and prepare a similar discussion for their own religion. Again, my religion is only an example.

    Good news: Many people over the years have successfully used Pr Ntr Kmt religious cannabis certificates. The author of this website has personally several times over more than a decade shown various police Pr Ntr Kmt documentation and the police have politely returned the religious cannabis. There are at least two Pr Ntr Kmt cannabis ministers who have been released after the police discovered several pounds of religious cannabis (although the police kept the cannabis). There are numerous real world successes.

    Reality: If the government decides it wants to “get you”, then your only chance is if you can afford a really, really good lawyer.

    The law is whatever the government decides the law is.

    The rights you heard about in grade school only apply if you can afford a great lawyer. Public defenders are under-budgeted and only want to process paperwork for plea bargains. They simply don’t have the time or money for trials.

    We don’t want to discourage anyone from worshiping with cannabis, but we do want to strongly warn everyone that you have a significant risk of long term imprisonment or worse, especially outside of major industrialized nations.

    Please act responsibly. Please hire a lawyer if you can possibly afford to do so.

 

    These web pages contain religious advice. These web pages are not professional legal or medical advice. Nothing on this website should be considered as a substitute or replacement for professional medical, health, or legal advice. All persons should seek the advice of qualified medical, health, or legal providers.

    If you spot an error in fact, grammar, syntax, or spelling, or a broken link, or have additional information, commentary, or constructive criticism, please contact Milo at PO Box 1361, Tustin, Calif, 92781, USA.

 
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Copyright © 2010 Milo.

Created: June 4, 2010

Last Updated: July 31, 2010

May Goddess Bast grant YOU love, peace, joy, bounty, and wisdom.